Lying Down With Dog Germs

Dear Dog Lady,

I have 2 small grand-doggers that came for a visit overnight and never left. Anyway, they sleep in bed with me. Are there any dog germs that I should be concerned about?

Karen, Minneapolis

Karen, don’t you be scarin’. Dogs and humans have been curled up together for thousands of years and, to this day, there is no compelling medical reason to untangle them.

Dog Lady has an urban dog that sticks his nose into other dogs’ derrieres -- and plenty of other places where the sun don’t shine. His little paws pad along on sidewalks, streets, and parks smeared with all sorts of gunk. He rapturously rolls in the kind of stuff that would probably send microbiologists screaming for hygienic sanctuary. Yet, for nearly five years, my dog climbs into bed with me. As of this writing, Dog Lady lives to tell. You can get far worse infections from any human you might invite into your bed.

I do set limits. I keep him reasonably clean, although I am not obsessive. I don’t allow my dog under the covers or on the pillows.

The only medical situation in which close proximity to healthy dogs is discouraged is when humans have compromised immune systems – allergies or HIV. Conservative doctors of HIV-positive patients often suggest that keeping a dog is not prudent. However, the health benefits of being with a dog may far outweigh even those risks. A recent medical study showed that people who have pets tend to live longer, happier and healthier lives.

Karen, if we worried about microbes in everything we did, we’d be paralyzed. I suggest you take the romantic approach to sleeping with your grand-doggies. Just do it if it makes you happy and don’t worry about germs. If you’re reluctant to take Dog Lady’s word for it, then you should probably consult your family doctor and/or veterinarian.

Posted by Dog Lady at August 16, 2003 09:26 AM